The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-06-23
THAT BEAR Fishing and


hunting parties while rambling
through the disely wooded sections
of:the Seven Mountains have no doubt
noticed what appeared to he denim
uative cabins built OF strong logs
seldom less than foot In diameter
and securely fastened at the ends.
The houses are generally about eight
feet long by six feet wide and four
feet high. Examination will show
that the roof, which is also built OF
heavy logs, can be raised by means
of prizes the whole resembling u box
rabbit trap. These are bear traps,
and in nine cases out of ten are the
work of james Treaster, one OF the
owners Of the Immense tract OF tim
Der land known us Treaster's Valley.
We have met him number Of times
In the mountains and haye always
found him pleasant, and accomno-
dating, n sober and intelligent gentle.
man. There is probably no man in
Central Pennsylvania better nc
quainted with the habits Of our wild
animals than he, aud none has had
more frequent encounters with them.
He has keen sense of tho ridiculous
and seldom allows himself to be drawn
into the recital of an adventure in
which lie would figure as II hero,
though with his Winchester in hand,
no one would take him for "a tender
foot. One OF these stories, character
istic OF himself, we venture TO repro
duce without his knowledge or con
sent, and as it is entirely from mem
ory 1t may be faulty In parts but in
the main Is correct
Several years ago while at work
in the fields at the old homestead, six
miles from this shanty, l was hailed
by n boy all out Of breath who in
formed me that about four miles up
the valley he and two comrades had
been engaged ia fishing when sndden.
ly an old slie bear and three cubs had
come upon them. They yelled 90
tiul VIZ OlNl btuE Iuli AWAY
while the three cups sorainbeled up u
tree where they were guarded
10y his two comrades whom
he had left there for that purpose
Expecting pic>nic with tho old bear
! called my big dog, got my rifle and
n bag and started up the valley with
the boy. When we arrived at the
place We found the boys across the
run pelting the cubs with stones tC
keep them from coming down. The
old bear not yet having made her ap
pearancc. Selecting the most cour
ageons looking OF the boys | handed
him the gun and told him by al
means to shoot the mother before
she conld get up the tree. The other
boy gave the dog in charge and tho
/, other the bag. then proceeded {,
climb the tree which was q tall, slim
pine fully forty feet to the first limb.
| found tho cubs hugging the stem
sixty feet from the ground. They
were about the size Of big cats.
grabbed one by the nape of the mech
and dropped it to the ground. II,
"bounced up" fully three feet ant
was too surprised to scream. Tn,
boy bagged him. The second ono
WISE UaSgbu. Ipittled the third an
while holding it up TO select sof
SPOT on which to drop It, it made ,
noise which excited the dog, and the
minute the cub struck the ground
the dog broke from tho boys gras,
and grabbed 1t. The screams Of tn,
young brute were pittiful, and, look
ing down from my elevated perch
saw sight that made my hair stand
on end. The boy with the gun drop.
ped his weapon and ran for the dog
The boy with the bag dropped IAN d
out ran one of the cubs, while no,
moro than seventy-iive yards from tn,
tree came the old she bear boundin o
Through the laurel. left go my hold
and went down tho stem of that slim
pine like II rocket, and grasping the
gun, awaiting the coming OF old bru
in, but strange to say, she never
made her appearance. Tho laurel
was very dense, and though she may
have stopped within ten yards OF ms
| could not see her. We recaptured
the escaped cub, and returning it in
to the bag. took the one bitten by
the dog into my arms and carried il
home where little care soon restor-
ed it to health, | had it a number ol
years. 1t was the constant compan-
ion Of my children and became as
playful as a kitten, but age and
strength soon rendered IL an unfit pet
for children when one day it met
with most trivial accident which RI.
jsuited in its death much to my re-
gret."